“The settlers all got away before the ridcoats got here, an’ they took their valuable goods wid thim,” said Tim.
“Yah, und der retgoads are pretty mad, alretty,” replied Fritz.
“Thot’s what they are, an’ av they lay oyes on us, it’ll go hard wid us, Fritz, me bye.”
“Dot is so. But ve must not let dem see us.”
Just at this moment some redcoats emerged from the house beyond where the two soldiers stood, and they were talking excitedly.
“They’ve gone into the swamp, that’s certain,” the two heard one of the redcoats say. “And we’ll follow them. We’ll have that plunder, in spite of the trick they have played. We’ll follow them into the swamp.”
Tim and Fritz dropped to the ground, close beside the building, and remained there till the redcoats had come forth from the houses and had all set out in a direction which the two supposed led to the swamp, and then they rose and followed.
“We’ll kape afther thim, me bye,” said Tim.
“Yah, ve vill do dot, Tim, und maybe ve gan do somedings to help der settlers, alretty.”
They followed the redcoats to the edge of the swamp, and remained concealed till the British soldiers lighted a torch and set out along the tortuous path into the swamp. Then they sat down, to wait and discuss the situation.